RA saga AGAIN...

Graces7

Can hardly believe this..

'Tis I, who fought for 7 months to get RA here in Cork.

Last week I had a review form; sent it in immediately although it gave until July 10th before they stopped the money.

Just had an email; payment stopped until they get an updated statement of benefits from the UK etc.

This will take me 2-3 weeks of course; rent due meanwhile etc etc, and of course this came late Friday so cannot do anything now until after the weekend.

Needless to say - and Iám ill in bed- I have replied and given intention of making a formal complaint. And cced to the CWOs supervisor of course.

I suspect that the CWO was supposed to get these updates weeks ago and forgot; sick and tired of taking the blame when they mess up.

I had recently reminded them that they had backdated until January when the application was made last September!

So back to no money for the rent etc etc etc; nice way to treat disabled pensioners, isn't it?

The email assured me that all missed payments would be reimbursed; what planet please are they living on that they think we can pay rent etc just like that?

NB at least I will have some food as I planted potatoes etc...Sigh...

Graces7

Had a swift reply to my email; all but an apology. RA reinstated.. I had written snailmail three weeks ago as they made that error last September when I applied and it took seven months to get it through,. They had backdated until January only, so I had challenged that then which led to the review etc,

So now I am getting the backdated RA to September.

The pen is truly mightier than the sword. The scary thing is that I was offline several weeks when the laptop died and had I not seen the mail the RA would simply have vanished.

So I conclude that they can and do ignore the rules; and can and do stop money with no thought of the effect on already challenged people,. And if they can walk on you, they will...

The Friday desk clearing is notorious.

Where I lived in the UK, a farmer neighbour had had a run of bad luck; cattle with TB etc and he was behind with his mortgage; young family too. On Christmas Eve he had a letter from the bank; notifiation of foreclosing. All the offices etc were closed until January. He came within a hair's breadth of suicide. Thankfully local radio heard about it, did an interview etc and enough support came in to help them cope until they could contact the Ombudsman etc.

I knew already that the HSE have a very strict complaint system.. so if need be, use that. Also I cced everything to the CWO supervisor; found her email online.

Hate having to do this, but it is the only way it seems. I have been here almost a year and still sorting stuff.

PS the potatoes are delicious!

mp22

Nice to see a happy ending.

I'll close this thread